568 



MINNESOTA. 



The total number of farms in the State is 

 60,816, covering a total tilled area of 3,429,164 

 acres. The area in wheat during the past year 

 was reported at 2,354,344 acres, upon which the 

 growing grain gave such extraordinary prom- 

 ise that as the time for harvest approached the 

 crop was estimated at 47,000,000 bushels. But 

 at the critical ripening period an alternation of 

 sultry showers and blazing heat shriveled the 

 kernels to such an extent as to destroy half the 

 crop in both quantity and value throughout the 

 great wheat-growing section of the State. In 

 two thirds of the wheat area lying in the south- 

 ern part of the State, the yield was estimated 

 at 10, and in the remainder 13 bushels per 

 acre, making a total product of about 26,000,- 

 000 bushels. The crop of oats exceeded the 

 average yield, being estimated at 16,800,000 

 bushels, while the product of corn, amounting 

 to nearly 13,000,000 bushels, was the largest 

 and best ever known in the State. The cul- 

 ture of the early amber sugar-cane promises to 

 become an important industry of Minnesota. 

 The sirup produced in 1877 was reported at 

 140,150 gallons, which, with an enlarged growth 

 of the cane, was greatly exceeded by the prod- 

 uct of 1878. The total acreage of the latter 

 year was estimated at 2,800 acres, against 2,100 

 for the previous year. An experienced grower 

 has reported that an acre of land will readily 

 produce 11 tons of cane, and a ton of cane will 

 give from 85 to 95 gallons of juice by the use 

 of a six-horse-power mill. The juice contains 

 16 per cent, of solid matter, 13 parts of which 

 are crystallizable sugar, the remaining 3 parts 

 being invert sugar and organic matter. An acre 

 of cane will produce from 140 to 280 gallons 

 of sirup. The cane yields about 1,000 pounds 

 of seed to the acre, which sells at from 15 to 

 20 cents per pound. It is also valuable for feed. 

 The sirup is worth from 65 to 70 cents per gal- 

 lon by the barrel. One gallon of sirup will 

 produce ten gallons of superior vinegar, worth 

 about 20 cents a gallon. The soil and climate 

 of the State are well adapted to the growth of 

 the cane, and from the rapid increase of this 

 industry it is believed that the day is near at 

 hand when Minnesota will not only produce 

 all the sugar, sirup, and vinegar needed for 

 home consumption, but will also export large 

 quantities. Early in the year a convention of 

 cane-growers and others interested in this sub- 

 ject was held at Minneapolis, and an organiza- 

 tion was formed under the name of the " Min- 

 nesota Amber-Cane Growers' Association." Its 

 object is u to join its members in a more friend- 

 ly union, where they can exchange views and 

 experiences,, thereby gaining and imparting 

 knowledge of the best manner and methods 

 of cultivating and manufacturing sirup and 

 sugar from early amber-cane, and the collec- 

 tion of information to be disseminated among 

 the people." 



^ The expanding theatre of agriculture in this 

 State is forcibly shown by the sales of State 

 and railroad lands, which during the past year 



reached an aggregate of 2,344,246 acres, being 

 more than double the quantity disposed of in 

 1877, which in turn for surpassed any previous 

 year in the extent of land transactions. This 

 absorption of public lands being chiefly in 

 small parcels, by actual settlers, indicates a 

 large permanent and desirable addition to the 

 population of the State, which is now estimated 

 at about 765,000. The sales of State lands 

 in 1878, as compared with 1877, were as fol- 

 lows : 



The largest sales in any county were in Ben- 

 ville, where 42,887*38 acres were disposed of. 

 The highest price obtained was in Rock County, 

 where the land brought $7.60 per acre. 



Thirty -four counties took advantage of the 

 provision made by the Legislature for a supply 

 of seed-grain to sufferers from grasshopper 

 ravages. The total number of applicants was 

 6,026, and grain sufficient for 223,727 acres 

 was distributed. The distribution afforded an 

 average of a little less than 50 per cent, of the 

 amount applied for. The practical operation 

 of the law proved universally satisfactory, and 

 it is believed that great and deserved assistance 

 was rendered to destitute regions which had so 

 repeatedly been subjected to the insect scourge 

 as to be disabled from helping themselves. 

 Most of the counties receiving aid are those 

 which largely escaped the destructive blight 

 and produced the best crops. 



According to trustworthy reports published 

 during the year, there are in Minnesota 395 

 flour-mills, with a total of 1,489 run of stone. 

 The running power is classified as follows: 

 Steam, 95; water, 274; steam and water, 18; 

 wind, 8. The aggregate producing capacity is 

 estimated at 37,225 barrels of flour a day, or 

 about 11,167,500 a year. Hence these mills are 

 capable of grinding about 55,837,500 bushels of 

 wheat a year, which is a much greater amount 

 than the highest estimate hitherto made of any 

 crop. 



The number of miles of railroad constructed 

 and put in operation during the year was 375, 

 which exceeds the amount built in any pre- 

 ceding year except 1871, when 458 miles were 

 constructed. The whole number of miles oper- 

 ated within the State is 2,608. The mileage of 

 the various roads and the business done during 

 the year are shown in the following statement : 



